The present invention relates to bullets, and more particularly to polymeric bullets typically used for target practice.
A wide variety of reusable "plastic bullets" have been developed as an alternative to more expensive (per use) conventional ammunition. The plastic bullets are particularly well suited to target practice, wherein the distances involved are relatively short and the momentum of the projectile is not important. Basically, the plastic bullets include a projectile including a stud extending from the rearward portion thereof and a casing including a shoulder closely receiving the projectile stud. The casing defines a primer chamber and powder chamber communicating with the primer chamber which both may receive explosive material to fire the bullet. A primer alone projects the projectile satisfactorily for target practice. The plastic bullets are loaded and fired in a rather conventional manner; additionally, both the projectile and the casing can be retrieved and reloaded until one or the other fractures.
However, plastic bullets are not without their drawbacks. First, the polymeric, low-mass projectiles are inherently less accurate than conventional ammunition. The projectile receives insufficient spin from the firearm barrel rifling during firing to give the projectile the desired gyroscopic effect. The shape of known plastic projectiles creates excessive random air turbulence around the projectile during flight, causing the projectile to tumble end over end further reducing its range and/or accuracy. Consequently, known plastic bullets do not provide the accuracy and consistency required of serious marksmen during target practice.
Second, the prior plastic bullets have typically included a smooth interfit between the projectile stud and the casing shoulder. Consequently, some of the effectiveness of the discharged load is lost therebetween because of poor compression. This loss of compression further reduces the accuracy of the projectile.
Third, the casings of known bullets typically fracture after relatively few firings rendering the casings unsuited for further use. Additionally, known casings define large, powder chambers, which lose much of the explosive effect of the primer and/or powder.